Field
The disclosure relates to three-dimensional (3D) scanning. More specifically, the disclosure relates to techniques for using 3D scanning to enable the use of 3D locations of features with two-dimensional (2D) images containing the features.
Related Art
Three-dimensional (3D) scanning may be used to construct 3D models of environments and/or objects. The models may then be used in applications such as movie and video game production, industrial design, medical devices, reverse engineering, prototyping, architecture, construction, computer-aided design (CAD), 3D printing, and/or quality control. For example, 3D scanning may be performed to model a piece of furniture, create a blueprint of a building's interior, plan the arrangement and layout of objects within a confined space, and/or facilitate indoor and/or outdoor mapping and/or navigation.
To perform 3D scanning, 3D scanners typically construct a point cloud of the surface(s) of an object and/or environment by probing the surface(s). For example, a 3D scanner may acquire the shape of the object and/or environment using physical touch, a laser rangefinder, laser triangulation, structured light, modulated light, and/or conoscopic holography. The 3D scanner may also include visible-light sensors for capturing surface textures and/or colors, which may be used to fully reconstruct a 3D model of the object and/or environment.
The 3D scanner may thus require unwieldy, expensive, complex and/or specialized equipment such as articulated arms, lasers, light sources, and/or cameras arranged in specific configurations. Moreover, the resulting 3D model may contain a large data set that is difficult to manipulate and/or requires the use of specialized (e.g., computer-aided design (CAD)) software. Such disadvantages to 3D scanning may thus bar the use of conventional 3D scanners and 3D models in many consumer and/or portable applications.
Consequently, adoption and/or use of 3D scanning technology may be increased by improving the usability, portability, size, and/or cost of 3D scanners and/or 3D models produced by the 3D scanners.